Feeding, severing, and controlling mechanism for photographic copying machines



Apnl 1, 1941. P. LANDROCK ETAL 2,236,712

FEEDING, SEVERING, AND CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR PHOTOGRAPEEIC COPYING- MACHINES Filed April 29, 1959 13 Sheets-Sheet l Wasps Aprll 1, 1941. P. LANDROCK ETAL 2,236,712

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I INVENTORS V PcoZ Z 64:21.!" ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 1, 1941 mam FEEDING, SEVERING, AND CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC COPY- IN G MACHINE S Paul Landrock and Arthur W. Caps, Rochester,

N. Y., assignors to Photostat Corporation, Providence, It. I., a corporation of Rhode Island Application April 29, 1939, Serial No. 270,856

23 Claims.

The present invention relates to photographic copying cameras or machines and more especially, although not exclusively, to machines of that type in which photographic exposures are made upon successive portions of a long strip of film supplied from a roll or the like, and in which each portion after being exposed is fed to a position out of the focal plane and out oii from the remaining unexposed film so that it may be developed, fixed, or otherwise treated. Machines of this general type are well known, various forms of such machines having been extensively marketed by the assignee of this present application, under the trade-mark Photostat.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a generally improved and more efficient and satisfactory machine of the type above mentioned.

Another object of the invention is the provision of improved mechanism for feeding and severing the exposed film in machines of this general type.

Another object is the provision of feeding and severing mechanism of a type which can satisfactorily be controlled and operated from a remote point.

A further object is the provision of the above mentioned feeding and severing mechanism, in such form that it may be substituted for other and prior forms of feeding and severing mechanism at present in use on existing machines, without otherwise substantially altering the existing machines.

A further object is the provision of motor driven feeding and severing mechanism, so designed that the motor Will not cause vibration of the machine during the exposing or picture taking part of the operation. A further object is the provision of improved and more satisfactory control mechanism for controlling the exposing, film feeding, and severing operations of a photographic copying machine.

A still further object is the provision of control mechanism by means of which the operator may operate the shutter and the feeding and severing mechanism from a control station at the copyholder, so that the operator may remain stationed at the copyholder, in convenient position for arranging fresh pieces of copy to be exposed, and need not leave this position in order to operate the machine.

, A still further object is the provision of control mechanism by which the shutter and the feeding and severing mechanism may be controlled from a still more remote point, such as an easel or wall on which a large article to be copied is placed, at some distance from the usual copyholder.

A still further object is the provision of simple and eifective means for signalling or indicating to the operator the status or condition of various parts or operations, so that he may be guided by the information thus imparted to him, in performing certain operations.

Other objects of the invention are the provision of means for preventing operation of the feeding and severing mechanism during certain time intervals when it would be inadvisable to operate it, and the provision of optional means for operating the feeding and severing mechanism automatically at regularly recurring intervals.

To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification,

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a photo copying machine constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, viewed from one side;

Fig. 2 is a similar View of the machine viewed from the opposite side;

Fig. 3 is a plan thereof;

Fig. 4 is a plan of part of the machine shown in Figs. 1 to 3, illustrating the remote control mechanism used when photographing a large article to be copied, placed on a wall;

Fig. 5 is a view on a larger scale of the auxiliary remote control box shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram illustrating the electrical circuit parts of the control mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a side view with parts broken away and parts in section, of a portion of the photo copying machine illustrating certain features of the film magazine, of the winding and severing mechanism, and of the control mechanism;

Fig. 8 is'a face view of a fragment of the photographic film illustrating a splice therein;

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section taken substantially on the line 99 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a vertical section taken substantially centrally through part of the machine;

Fig, 11 is a side elevation of part of the control mechanism shown in Fig. 10, with a covering plate removed to show the parts beneath;

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic view of the shutter operating mechanism;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 11 showing the parts in a different position;

Fig. 14.- is a side elevation of a fragment of the machine illustrating the electric switch operated by the mechanism shown in Figs. 11 and 13;

Fig. 15 is a larger view of the same switch in its normal or open position;

Fig. 16 is a similar view thereof in its closed position;

Fig. 17 is a side elevation of a. fragment of the machine illustrating the winding and severing mechanism, with the cover plate removed to show parts within, the mechanism being shown in its normal position of rest;

Fig 18 is a similar view with the parts in a different and partially operated position;

Fig. 19 is a view of an electric switch associated with the feeding and severing mechanism in the position which it assumes While the feeding and severing mechanism is in operation;

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary view similar to the upper portion of Fig. 17 and showing the parts in the same position as Fig. 17, but with certain overlying parts removed to show the parts beneath;

Fig. 21 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 2 l2l of Fig. 18;

Fig. 22 is a section taken substantially on the line 2222 of Fig. 23, and

Fig. 23 is a diagrammatic section taken approximately on the line 2-323 of Fig. 17.

The same reference numerals throughout the several v'iews indicate the same parts.

The present invention may be applied to various different kinds, types, or styles of photographic copying machines and sinular machines, and is here described for the sake of an illustrative example in connection with a photographic copying machine of a type familiar in the art, which includes (Figs. 1-3) a framework 3| on which is mounted a camera front frame 3 3, a back frame 35, bellows 3? connecting these two frames to each other, and a magazine section 39 hing-ed to the section by means-of hinges 41, the back frame 35 and magazine 39 together constituting the main part of the camera body, In the magazine section may be placed the usual roll box t3 (Fig. '7) carrying a supply of unexposed sensitized photographic film in the form of a roll, which film is preferably but not necessarily a strip of paper coated with th usual photographic emulsion. From the roll 45 the strip of film extends over a guide roll 47 and thence downwardly as indicated at 49 over the focal plane support sections 5| and 53, being held fiat on these support sections in position to receive light rays entering the camera through a lens and prism assembly (Figs. 1-3) indicated in general at and mounted on the front frame 33 of the camera.

The documents or other copy to be photographed may be laid on a suitable copyholder such as the board 5? mounted on a bracket 59 sup ported from the machine frame 3| and illuminated by a pair of lights 6|, conveniently in the form of mercury tube lights, supported from swinging brackets 63 which also are mounted on the frame 31. Any suitable type of shutter, such as a curtain shutter 65 (Fig. 12) is mounted within the shutter casing 61 secured to the front frame 33. When this shutter is open, light rays reflected from the document or cop-y on the board 57, illuminated by the lights 5|, pass upwardly to the prism forming part of the lens and prism assembly 55, and thence pass rearwardly through the lens and prism assembly, through the open shutter, through-the bellows 31, and fall against the sensitized film 45 lying in the focal plane of the camera. Suitable adjustments of the relative positions of the copyholder 51, lens and prism assembly 55, and focal plane support 5 l, 53 are possible for purposes of accurate focusmg.

After an exposure has been made, the exposed portion of the film 49 is fed downwardly by rotating feed rolls H and i3 (Figs. '7 and 10) until the top edge of the exposed area is slightly below the level of these feed rolls, this feeding motion bringing a fresh unexposed portion of film from the supply roll 35 into exposing position in the focal plane. The exposed portion of the film is then cut off from the remaining portion by operation of a severing knife 15 (Fig. 10) whereupon the severed exposed sheet, already hanging partially within the chute W, drops to the bottom of the chute, its bottom edge resting against the bottom support 19 in the position indicated at in Fig. 10. The lower edge of the sheet is then impaled upon forwardly extending pins 8 on the next passing one of a series of pick-up bars or pin bars 33 extending across the machine between a pair of conveyor chains which are driven. to carry the bars along a predetermined course. As the conveyor chains advance, the exposed sheet 80 is drawn out of the chute '1 l and downwardly into and through successive treating baths, such as a developing b-ath within the tank 9| (Figs. 1, 2, and 10) and washing, fixing, and washing baths, respectively, within various compartments in the tank section 53, both tank sections being sus pended from the side walls of a developing compartment or chamber which is mounted on the frame 3|. Finally, the developed, fixed, and washed print may be delivered to a print drier mounted within the casing 91 (Figs. 1 and 2). The conveyor chains 85 may be driven either intermittently or continuously, continuous driving being preferable when a machine of relatively large print making capacity is desired, and the driving may be done by means of an electric motor 99 (Fig. 1) mounted on the side of the compartment 95.

The parts thus far described are of conventional known construction, the details of which are unimportant so far as the present invention is concerned, and may be varied as desired. Greene Patent 1,822,345, granted Sept. 8, 1931, and Caps and Greene Patent 1,824,259, granted Sept. 22, 1931, disclose various features of machines of this general type in somewhat greater detail than the foregoing brief general description which is sufficient for present purposes- If desired, the paper chute 11 may be provided with an indicator to indicate to the operator the presence of an exposed sheet within the chute. H, such indicator including a feeler arm [0| (Fig. 10) which corresponds to and functions in the same manner as the feeler arm 42 disclosed in Caps Patent 1,775,630, granted September 16, 1930. For indicating the approach of one of the pin bars or pick-up bars 83 toward the chute 11, the machinemay also be provided withan audible signal such as a gong I03 (Fig. 10) sounded bya clapper I95 operated by an arm in! lying in the path of travel of the pin bars, which parts may correspond, respectively to the gong 30, clapper 39, and operating arm 42 disclosed in Caps Patent 1,824,258, granted Sept. 22,, 1931,.

In photo copying machines of this general type, the common practice is .for the operator to. arrange .the articles to be copied on the copyholder 51, and then walk two or three steps to a position at the right side (that is, the side shown in Fig. 2) of the camera body, whereupon he operates various cranks or other instrumentalities to make an exposure, to operate the feed rollers II and I3 for feeding the exposed sheet material downwardly into the chute ii, and then to operate the knife I5 to sever the exposed sheet so that it drops to the bottom of the chute ready to be picked up by the next pin bar 83. Then the operator walks two or three steps back to a position at the copyholder 5i, removes the document which has been photographed, places the next document in proper position, and again goes to a position beside the camera body to operate the shutter, the feeding means, and the severing means. It is seen that there is considerable lost motion and waste of time and effort in going back and forth from one position to another.

The present invention is designed to eliminate such lost motion and waste by providing suitable controls at a position adjacent the copyholder 51, so arranged that for normal operation, the operator need not leave his station beside the copyholder 51 but may perform all necessary operations of arranging the documents to be copied, operating the shutter, and operating the feeding and severing mechanism, all from a single convenient position near the copyholder. The present invention also provides remote control mechanism of such form that the necessary operations can be performed from a more distant point, when the article to be copied is too large to be placed on the regular copyholder 5! and when it is accordingly placed on a wall or other holder at a substantial distance from the camera.

In order to accomplish these desirable improvements, there is involved the provision of satisfactory means for operating the shutter from the desired station, means for indicating to the operator the time intervals during which it is permissible to operate the shutter and the time intervals during which it is undesirable to operate it, means for indicating to the operator the time intervals within which it is permissible to operate the feeding and severing mechanism and the time intervals when such operation is undesirable, improved motor driven feeding and severing mechanism, means for controlling the feeding and severing mechanism from a distance, and auxiliary remote control means for operating the shutter and the feeding and severing mechanism from a still more remote point. These various principal features which contribute to the accomplishment of the aims of this invention will now be individually described in the same order in which they have just been mentioned.

Shutter operating mechanism The shutter is operated preferably by electric means such as the solenoid III (Fig, 12) in a casing II3 mounted on the top of the shutter casing 61. When the solenoid is electrically energized it pulls the core II5 to operate a lever III to pull the control cord II9 connected therewith, which opens the shutter. When the solenoid is deenergized a suitable spring (not shown) closes the shutter, The length of time during which the solenoid remains energized determines the length of time that the shutter remains open. The photographic film used in copying machines of this kind usually has a relatively slow emulsion, so that ordinarily the exposure is of several seconds duration.

Referring now to' the wiring diagram constituting Fig. 6, current is supplied from any suitable source of supply, such as the usual electric lighting circuit, to the main wires I2I and I23 which constitute opposite sides of the circuit, and which may terminate in a conventional plug which may be plugged into any suitable electric socket. The wire I2I leads to one side of the contacts of an electric switch, preferably in the form of a push button I25 mounted in a control box I2'I which is mounted on and supported by the bracket 59 which holds the copyholder 51, as shown, for example, in Figs, 2 and 3. A wire I29 leads from the other side of this push button I25 to the shutter control solenoid III. The other main circuit wire I23 leads to the other side of the solenoid II I. When the button I25 is pushed, the circuit is completed, and the current fiows from the leads I2I and I23 through the solenoid III, and maintains the shutter open as long as the button I25 remains actuated. When the button is released, the shutter closes.

Shutter signals There are two signals or indicators for informing the operator at what times it is proper to operate the shutter and what times such operation is inadvisable. The first of these is the film spice or exhaustion indicator, which will now be described.

Frequently, for manufacturing convenience and economy, it is necessary that the long strip of film supplied on the roll d5 (Fig. 7) have one or more splices therein, instead of being a single continuous integral strip. It is undesirable to make photographic prints from the sections of the film which contain these splices, as doing so would result in a splice across the finished photographic print. It is advisable, therefore, to provide mechanism for indicating to the operator the arrival of a splice at or near the focal plane, so that the spliced part of the film can be fed forwardly, cut off, and discarded, instead of being photographed upon.

The splice indicator, which also indicates the exhaustion of the film as Well as splices therein, is not novel per se, but is new in combination with the other features of the present invention. The splice and exhaustion indicator may be of any of the forms disclosed in Landrock Patent No. 2,109,373, granted February 22, 1938. The form of construction disclosed in Fig. '7 of that patent is here indicated by Way of example, in Fig. '7 of the present drawings, and includes a feeler arm I 3! resiliently mounted so that its end I 33 tends to pass through the plane of the photographic film 49 at a point near the top of the exposure area or focal plane area, and in longitudinal alinement with certain notches or openings I35 (Figs. 8 and 9) associated with each splice I31 in the film strip 49. Normally. the unbroken strip of film holds the feeler I3! in the position shown in Fig. '7 of the drawings of this application, and in Fig. 7 of the drawings of said Landrock patent. But when one of the openings or notches I35 associated with a splice reaches the end I33 of the feeler I3I, then this end passes through such opening, to the position indicated in Fig. 8 of the drawings of said Landrock patent, bringing the feeler I3I into engagement with a contact piece MI to close an electric contact to signal the presence of the splice to the operator.

Referring now to the wiring diagram in Fig. 6, there is indicated at B any suitable source of current of low voltage, such as a battery, or a transformer for producing low voltage current from the usual lighting circuit. From this source of current B one wire I45 leads, through a switch I 41, to a branch M9 connected to the feeler member I131. From the companion contact piece I iI of the splice indicator, a wire II leads to one side of an electric lamp E53 and also to one side of an audible signal, such as a buzzer I55. A wire I51 leads from the other side of the lamp I53 and the other side of the buzzer i55 back to the source of current B. When the lamp 153 is lit, light shines through a red lens or bulls-eye I55 in a wall of the casing i5! which contains the lamp and buzzer and which is mounted in a conveniently observable position, such as on the front frame 33 as shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 6.

Assuming that the switch I4! is closed, then whenever operation of the feeding mechanism feeds a splice past the feeler I3I, the lamp I53 will flash on twice, and the buzzer I55 will sound twice, due to the two notches or openings 35 associated with the splice. The operator then knows that it is not safe to make another ex posure until he is sure that the spliced portion of film has been fed onward past the exposure area, so he operates the feeding means once or twice more without making an exposure, after which normal exposing and feeding operations may be resumed. When the supply of film is exhausted and the rear edge of the film moves past the feeler I3I, the feeler will also operate to close the circuit and light the light I53 and sound the buzzer I55, but instead of coming on twice and then going off again, the lamp and buzzer will remain on continuously. The operator then opens the switch 41 to turn off the light and .1

buzzer, opens the magazine section 39 of the camera, inserts a fresh supply of film, threads it properly down over the focal plane support sections 51 and 53 and between the rollers II and I3, closes the magazine and again closes the switch I ii, whereupon the machine is ready for resumption of operation.

If a feeding operation should happen to bring one of the openings I35 in the film just to the feeler I3I and stop with the opening opposite the feeler, there would be a continuous operation of the light I53 and buzzer I55 similar to the case of exhaustion of the film. But whenever there is continuous operation rather than two intermittent operations, the operator can easily test whether this signifies exhaustion of the film or merely a splice, by operating the feeding means once'more. If it is merely a splice which has happened to stop with one of the openings I35 opposite the feeler, the next operation of the feeding means will, of course, move this opening I35 onward past the feeler, and the light I53 will go out. But if the film has been exhausted, then a further operation of the feeding means will not extinguish the light I53, and the operator will then follow the above indicated procedure for replenishing the supply of film.

The second of the two signals or indicators for informing the operator at what times it is proper to operate the shutter and at what times such operation is inadvisable, comprises indicating means coupled with the feeding and severing mechanism to show the operator when the feeding and severing mechanism is being operated and when it is not being operated. It is inadvisable to operate the shutter during operation of the feeding and severing mechanism for two reasons. First, any exposure made while the feeding mechanism is in operation will, of course, be spoiled, because the film is being moved over the exposure area at that time. Second even if the feeding and severing mechanism has finished the feeding part of the operation and is performing only the severing part, the operation of the severing knife may cause. some vibration of the camera and result in a blurred print, so that it is advisable not to 0perate the shutter until the operation of the feeding and severing mechanism is entirely finished.

"Ilo: inform the operator of the condition of operation} or non-operation of the feeding and severing mechanism, there is provided, in conjunction with this machanism, a switch having a set. of companion contacts IlI (Figs. 6 and 19) which are connected to each other by a contact member I723 to close the switch when the feeding and. severing mechanism is not in operation, and which are open or unconnected to each other when the feeding and severing mechanism is in operation, this being accomplished in a manner to be explained below. The previously mentioned line wire I45 from the source of current B has a branch I '15 (Fig. 6) leading to a junction box H7 and thence to one of the switch contacts III. There is a wire I19 leading back from the other switch contact I1 I, through the junction box III, to one side of the lamp I8! mounted in the same casing IS! with the lamp E53, the light when lit illuminating a yellow lens or bulls-eye I83. The previously mentioned wire I51 from the opposite sideof the source of currentBleads to the opposite side of'the lamp E8 I ,completing the circuit. Whenever the switch I'II is closed (that is, whenever the feeding and severing mechanism is not in operation), the light I3! is. illuminated, and lights up the yellow lens I83 to indicate to the operator that, so far as the feeding and severing mechanism is concerned, he is free to operate the shutter ifheso desires. Inv connection with the shutter operation, the operator should consider both the red light i553 and the yellow H33. Whenever the red light I5!) is on, or has recently indicated the presence of a splice which has not yet been effectively removed from the focal plane, it is not safe to operate the shutter But, so long as the red light I59 is out and all splices previously indicated thereby have been fed onwardly beyond the focal plane, it is safe to cperate the shutter whenever the yellow light IE3 .is lit.

Indicating mechanism for feeding and severing operation Indicating mechanism is provided for informing the operator of the time intervals during which it is permissible to initiate operation of the feeding and severing mechanism. Such indicating means is desirable because there are certain times in the operation of the machine when it may be inadvisable to operate the feeding and severing mechanism. In machines in which the conveyor chains 85 are driven continuously to carry the pin bars 83 continuously through their paths of travel, it would be inadvisable to feed sheet material downwardly into the chute TI (Fig. 10) at such a time that it would reach the bottom of the chute just as one of the pin bars arrives at the chute, for the film would then immediately be impaled on the pin bar and be drawn along thereby before the knife l5 had a chance to sever the film. Hence, as one of the pin bars 33 approaches the bottom of the chute 11, there comes a time during such approach, after which the feeding and severing mechanism should not be set into operation, until that pin bar has safely passed the chute.

In order to signal to the operator the time intervals when it is permissible and the time intervals when it is inadvisable to operate the feeding and severing mechanism, there is provided on one side of the machine, on the inner face of the compartment wall 95, a bracket indicated in general at I9I (Figs. 10, 11, and 13). On this bracket is mounted a short transverse shaft 593 which extends rotatably through the side wall 95 in a light-tight manner. Near the inner end of this shaft I93 is fastened a depending arm I95, the lower end of which lies in the path of travel of the pin bars 83. A coiled tension spring I99, secured at one end to the stationary bracket HM and at the other end to an arm 26I fixed to the shaft I93, constantly tends to turn the shaft clockwise to a position in which a lug 2133 projecting laterally from the trip arm I95 comes to rest against a fixed arm 295 on the bracket I9I.

The shaft I93 also carries an arm 29! secured to the shaft in such position that when the trip arm I95 is moved counterclockwise by contact with one of the pin bars 83, from the position shown in Fig. 11 to the position shown. in Fig. 13, this arm 2h! will snap past the end of a detent lever 209 pivoted to the bracket Hill at 2! I, and the detent lever 299 will retain the arms 261 and I95 in this position shown in Fig. 13, until the detent is stripped or released.

The release of the detent is accomplished by I means of a bell crank lever pivoted to the bracket I 9I at 2 I3, and having 2. depending arm 2 I 5 lying in the path of travel of the pin bars 83, at a point some distance beyond the arm I95, so that each pin bar during its travel will reach the arm 2l5 at a substantial interval after it passes the arm I95. This bell crank arm is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 11, and in full lines in Fig. 13, by means of a coiled tension spring 2|! connected to the arm and constantly tending to rotate the arm clockwise until a laterally projecting lug 2I9 thereon comes into contact with the lug 22I on the bracket ml. The opposite end of this same spring 25? may be connected to the detent lever 209, as shown, to tend to hold this detent lever constantly in latching position.

The other arm of the bell crank lever connected to the first arm 2E5 thereof is indicated at 225. It overlies a suitable bearing surface 227 on the detent lever 299 in such position that when a pin bar passes the arm 2&5 of the b -l crank and moves this arm counterclockwise, the other 225 will cause a downward thrust on the part 22? of the detent lever 2 39, rai ing the opposite end of the lever and releasing it from the arm 29? on the shaft 593 so that the spring 392) can restore this shaft in a clockwise direction to its initial or normal position, Preferably the arm 225 does not itself contact directly with the par 22? of the detent lever, but carries adjusting screw 229 to make contact with the detent lever, so that by adjusting this screw the detent lever 299 may be made to release the arm 25? when the bell crank lever 2I5, 225 reaches the desired angular position. Preferably also a stationary lug 23! on the bracket i9! carries an adjusting screw 293 to contact with the bearing surface 221 on the detent 209 to form an abutment against which the detent lever is normally held by the action of the spring 2H, thus determining the normal position of this lever.

A cover plate 235 secured to the bracket 29! extends inwardly from the side wall 95 of the compartment and thence downwardly in covering relation to most of the parts of the mechanism just described, as shown in Fig. 10. Also fixed to the bracket I9I is a laterally extending shelf 231 forming a support on which the adjacentconveyor chain rides in order to prevent downward deflection of the chain by the resistance offered to the pin bars by the arms 195 and 2I5, when the pin bars pass these arms.

As above mentioned, the shaft I93 passes outwardly through the compartment wall 95. Near its outer end, this shaft carries an arm 24! shown in dotted lines in Figs. 6, 11, and 13, and in full lines in Figs. 14, 15, and 16. As best shown in the latter mentioned figures, this arm 2 H carries an adjusting screw 243 which has its end in cooperative relation to the upper end of the operating plunger 245 of an electric switch of the plunger operated type. This switch is in effect two switches, having two pairs of electric contacts, the upper pair being indicated at 247 and the lower pair at 249. A coiled spring 25I surrounding the plunger 245 of the switch normally tends to push this plunger upwardly to the position shown in Figs. 11, 14, and 15, where two contact strips or connector bars 253 and 255 are elevated above and out of contact with the switch contacts 24'! and 249, respectively, so that both pairs of switch contacts are unconnected or open. But when the shaft I93 is turned to move the arm 24! downwardly to the position shown in Figs. 13 and 16, it depresses the plunger 2 35 against the action of the spring 25I, bringing the contact strip 253 down to make contact between the contact members 241, closing this switch, and also bringing the contact strip 255 down to make contact between the members 249, closing this switch also.

The entire switch and its operating arm 2M may be enclosed within a casing 251 (Figs. 1, 6, and 14) secured to the left side of the machine.

The action of these parts is as follows: Normally, the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 11, 14, and 15. with the switch plunger 255 in its elevated position and both pairs of contacts open.

During the advancing movement of the conveyor chains 85, whenever one of the pin bars 83 reaches the arm I 95, it svidngs this arm in a counterclockwise direction, to the position shown in 13. which turns the shaft I 93 and moves the arm 2M thereon downwardly to depress the switch plunger 255 and thus to close both pairs of contacts M! and 249. As the pin bar 83 passes on beyond the arm !95, this arm nevertheless re mains in position to keep the switch closed, because the arm ZM has become latched by the detent lever 299.

The switch remains closed until the advancing pin bar finally reaches the arm 2l5 of the bell crank lever. The pin bar then turns the bell crank lever from the full line position to the dot ted line position shown in Fig. 13, so that it depresses the adjacent end of the detent lever 2B9, releases the detent from the arm 297, and allows the spring 599 to swing the shaft I93 back to its initial position, which raises the switch operating arm 2M and allows the spring 25I to open both switches 24'! and 249.

Thus the switches are closed only during the interval that one of the pin bars 83 is traveling from thearm I95 to the arm 215, and the switches are open at all other times. This mechanlsm is so placed with respect to the travel of the pin bars that just as the rear end of an exposed sheet of maximum length is being drawn out of the chute Tl (Fig. 10) by one pin bar, the next following pin bar will reach and trip the arm H to close the switches 24'! and 259. This pin bar will then reach the arm 215 to trip this arm and open the switches, at a time interval before it reaches the chute ll which is just sufficient to allow a full cycle of operation of the feeding and severing mechanism and the dropping of the severed sheet to the bottom of the chute ii. In other words, the time of the travel of the pin bar from the bell crank arm M5 to the pick-up position at the bottom of the chute 'l'i, is the minimum time required for winding down and severing a sheet and permitting the sheet to drop to the bottom of the chute. If operation of the feeding and severing mechanism were started after the pin bar had passed the arm 255, there would be danger that the sheet might not reach the bottom of the chute in time to be picked up by this pin bar.

It is seen from this explanation that the interval during passage of any one of the pin bars from the arm 95 to the arm H5 is the desirable time interval within which the feeding and severing mechanism should be operated, and after the pin bar has passed the arm 2l5, no operation of the feeding and severing mechanism should take place until the next succeeding pin bar reaches the arm lfi5. It is seen also that with the mechanism above described, the switches 24! and 249 are closed only during this interval in which it is desirable to operate the feeding and severing mechanism, and these switches are open at all other times.

Referring now to Fig. 6, the supply line M5 from the source of current B has a branch 25! leading to one of the switch contacts 241. From the other of these switch contacts a return wire 253 leads to one side of the lamp 255 in the easing lSl. The other side of the lamp 265 is connected, in common with the corresponding sides of the lamps l53 and, till, to the return wire [51 leading to the other side of the source of current Feeding and severing mechanism As best seen in Figs. 2 and '7, a casing 215 and an electric motor 2% are mounted on the right hand side of the magazine section 39 of the camera. Referring now to Fig. 17, the armature shaft 289 of the motor enters the casing 275 and carries a worm 23 meshing with and constantly driving a worm wheel 285 (see also Fig. 23) rotatably mounted on a shaft 231 journaled at its inner end on a ball bearing 2% on the inner wall Hill of the casing 275 and near its outer end on a bearing on a partition 293 forming part of a sub-casing 295 which tightly encloses the worm and worm gear within the main casing 215, so that this sub-casing may be partially filled with oil in order that the worm may run constantly in oil. There is a hub 25'. fixed to the shaft 231, and a set of spring pressed rollers 299 placed in tapering grooves formed between the hub 29? and the gear 285, constitute a one-way clutch of a familiar kind, so that when the gear 285 is driven by rotation of the motor shaft 28!, it will drive the shaft 28! in the direction shown by the arrow just above the worm 253 in Fig. 17. But when the motor is stationary, the shaft 23'! may be turned in the same direction by other means, because of the clutch arrangement.

Fixed to and rotating with the shaft 281 is a gear 35! (Fig. 23) meshing with a gear 3933 (Figs. 21 and 23) fixed to a clutch element 355 pinned on a shaft 307 which is slidable longitudinally through a ball bearing 3% near its outer end, mounted on a fixed partition in the casing 215, and through a ball bearing 355 near its inner end, this second ball bearing being mounted'in a hollow clutch element 353 formed integrally with or fixed to a hollow sieeve 3l5 rotatable in but held against axial movement in a bearing in the fixed wall 29! of the casing 2i5. The inner end of this sleeve 355 receives a reduced end 3!!! (Fig. 23) of the shaft which carries the feeding roller H, and an axial slot 32| in the sleeve 3|5 receives a cross pin 323 on the roller shaft to constitute a driving connection between the sleeve (H5 and the roller l l, which can, however, be instantly disconnected by endwise movement of the sleeve 3|5 away from the feeding roller shaft, whenever it is desired to take the casing 235 off of the magazine section for repairs or adjustment.

A coiled compression spring 325 surrounds the shaft 35'! between the two clutch members 305 and H3, and constantly tends to press them apart to the position indicated in Fig. 23. Endwise pressure on the shaft 30'! in, a rightward direction when viewed as in Fig. 23 will, however, shift the entire shaft and the gear 383 and element 3B5 (without unmeshing the gear 553 from the gear 3M, however) until clutch teeth formed on the face of the clutch element 305 mesh with corresponding clutch teeth on the face of the clutch member 363, as shown in Fig. 21, toestablish a driving connection between these parts. Then, the gear 353 being turned by the gear 3M, the clutch member 355 will be driven, and with it the sleeve M5 and the feeding roller ll. The extent of turning of the roller H and, consequently, the length of the strip of film which is fed thereby, will depend, for any given speed of rotation, upon the length of time that the clutch elements 355 and 3E3 remain in mesh with each other, which in turn depends upon the length of time that sufficient axial pressure on the shaft 35! is maintained. The means for producing such axial pressure is variable or adjustable, in order that the mechanism may be set for winding different lengths of film at each operation, as will now be described. v

Referring now to Figs. 17 and 23, the shaft 287 carries also a gear 33l fixed thereto and rotating therewith, which meshes with a gear 333 fixed to a shaft 335 journaled in ball bearings 33? in the wall 29! and 359 in a fixed intermediate partition in the casing 2'55. As best seen in Fig. 23, the outer end of the shaft 335 projects outwardly beyond the bearing 339 and is provided with a cross pin 34!, so that if the driving motor 219 should fail, the outer plate or cover plate of the casing 215 can be removed and a hand crank can be placed on the exposed end of the shaft 335 to make driving engagement with the cross pin 34!, and the feeding and severing mechanism can be operated by means of the hand crank, rotation of the parts being permitted by the one-way or overrunning clutch 299 previously mentioned.

The shaft 335 also has fixed to it a pinion 343 meshing with a gear 345 freely rotatable on ball bearings 34'! on a shaft 369 which itself is rotatable on ball bearings 35! in the wall 29! and 353 in a fixed partition in the casing 275. The gear 345 has fixed to it a ratchet 355 (Figs. 20 and 23) for cooperation with the end 357 of a pawl 359 pivoted at 33! to a disk 333 fixed to the shaft 349, A leaf spring 365 also fixed tothe disk 333 presses against the opposite end 367 of the pawl 359, in a direction tending to throw the nose of the pawl into engagement with the ratchet teeth 355 to establish a driving relation between the pawl and the ratchet, so that the rotation of the gear 345 and ratchet 355 will correspondingly drive the disk 363.

The periphery of the disk 333 is of smoth circular form except at one point where there is a notch 37| (Fig. 18) arranged alongside of the tail 357 of the pawl 359. A bell crank lever pivoted in the casing 275 at 375 has. one laterally extending arm 377 and another upwardly extending arm 379, constantly pulled in a leftward or counterclockwise direction, when viewed as in Figs. 17, 18, and 20, by a coiled tension spring 38! one end of which is secured to the arm 379 and the other end to a fixed part of the casing 275. This arm 37?) also carries a small roller 333 which rides on the periphery of the disk 363. When the disk rotates to a certain point, the roller 333 drops into the notch 37! and the face of the roller is sufiiciently wide so that it contacts also with the tail 337 of the pawl and presses this tail radially inwardly toward the shaft 349, against the action of the spring 335, throwing the nose 357 of the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 355 to break the driving connection between the ratchet and the disk 33-3. The spring 33l is stronger than the spring 365 in order to accomplish ttns disengagement of the pawl against the action of the latter spring.

When the parts are at rest, they are in the position shown in Fig. 20, with the roller 383 seated in the notch the disk 353. A clockwise movement of the bell crank lever 373 against the tension of the spring 337 will lift the roller 383 out of the notch in the disk and at the same time release the tail 33"! of the pawl so that the spring 365 will throw the nose 357 into engagement with the ratchet teeth 355. Assuming that the motor 273 is running, the ratchet 355 will at this time be turning in a counterclockwise direction as shown by the arrow in Fig. 20, and when the pawl 359 comes into con.- tact with the ratchet teeth, the disk 3'53 on which the pawl is mounted will likewise begin to turn in a counterclockwise direction.

As soon as it has turned a small fraction of a revolution, so that the notch 371 is beyond the roller 333, the displacing force on bell crank lever 377, 379 can be removed and the spring 331 will carry the roller 333 into contact with the periphery of the disk, and the roller will ride around the smooth circular part of the periphery until exactly one revolution is completed, whereupon the notch 37! and the tail 367 of the pawl both again come around to the roller 333. The roller then drops into the notch, at the same time pressing inwardly on the tail of the pawl and releasing the pawl from the ratchet 35 so that the driving connection between the disk and the ratchet is broken, the disk comes to rest (the roller 333 cooperating with the notch 37! to act as a spring detent to hold the disk always in the same definite position when at rest) and the ratchet 355 may continue to turn without causing any further turning of the disk 363 until the bell crank lever is once more displaced to move the roller 383 out of its notch, whereupon the parts are once more rotated through a single complete revolution.

It will be remembered that the ratchet 355 and gear 3 75 are rotatably mounted on the shaft 349 and consequently the shaft does not necessarily turn with them, but does turn with the disk 353 which is pinned to the shaft. Hence the shaft 349 will, at each cycle of operation, rotate through exactly one revolution, and will then come to rest always in the same position, at the completion of one revolution.

The shaft 349 is provided with an adjustable cam for determining that part of the cycle of operation during which the clutch elements 395 and 373 are engaged with each other to cause driving of the feeding roller 7!. The cam, in its preferred form, comprises one cam segment 39I (Figs. 18, 20, and 23) pinned to the shaft 349, a second cam segment 393 having a hub rotatable on the shaft 349, and a third cam segment 395 between the other two. Each of these cam segments has an efiective periphery or portion of larger radius which extends through only a minor part of a complete circle, and an ineffective periphery or portion of smaller radius which extends through the rest of the circumference, with a short angular or oblique edge between the two.

By turning the cams 393 and 395 so that their effective peripheries overlie and coincide with that of the cam 39L the composite cam will be of minimum length. The length of the effective cam surface can be adjusted to any desired extent from this minimum length up to the maximum where the effective surface of one cam begins just at the point where the other stops, the cam 335 continuing on from the end of the cam 33!, and the cam 393 continuing on from the end of the cam 335. This adjustment may be effected by means of an adjusting knob 339 (Figs. 1'7 and 23) connected to the hub of the cam 393, so that by turning this knob 399 the cam 333 is turned in one direction or the other on the shaft 343. which is stationary at this time. The cam 395 floats between the cams 39! and 393 and is provided with a lateral lug 4! (Fig. 18) engaging in an arcuate notch .03 in the cam 393. and a similar lateral lug engaging in a similar arcuate notch 435 of the cam 39!. this arrangement of lugs and notches serving to limit the rotation of one cam element relatively to another, and preventing the cams from being spread too far. When they are adjusted to the desired position by turning the knob 399, they may he clamped in this position by a clamping nut 43! threaded on the end of the shaft 349, which, when tightened, will bear against the adjusting knob 39!] and hold this knob against rotation relatively to the shaft 349, so that the clamping nut 4G7, knob 339. and the composite cam elements 33!. 393. 395 will all turn together as a unit with the shaft 339 when the latter turns.

Cooperating with the composite cam and riding on the periphery thereof is a roller 4| (Figs. -3, 20, and 23) mounted on the upper end 473 of a lever pivoted at 4l5 Figs. 17 and 18) on a fixed part. of the casing 375. The lower end 4l1 of this lever (Figs. 18 and 27) lies just forwardly of and engages an inwardly extending arm 419 of a bell crank lever pivoted at 42! on. the casing 275. Another arm 323 of this bell crank lever extends forwardly and is provided with an adjusting screw 425 which may press against the 

